1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat dissipation assembly having a heat sink, and more particularly to a heat dissipation assembly having a removable protective cap for enclosing thermal grease on the heat sink, thereby protecting the thermal grease from contamination before the heat sink is assembled to a CPU/CPU module.
2. Description of Prior Art
As computer technology continues to advance, electronic components such as central processing units (CPUs) of computers are being made to provide faster operational speeds and greater functional capabilities. When a CPU operates at high speed in a computer enclosure, its temperature can increase greatly. It is desirable to dissipate the generated heat quickly, for example by using a heat sink attached to the CPU in the enclosure. This allows the CPU and other electronic components in the enclosure to function within their normal operating temperature ranges, thereby assuring the quality of data management, storage and transfer.
To improve heat conductivity between a heat sink and a CPU, thermal interface material such as thermal grease is often applied to a bottom face of the heat sink. However, thermal grease cannot be applied to the heat sink in advance since it is not solid at ambient temperature and may contaminate surrounding articles or be contaminated by dust or foreign particles before the heat sink is attached to the CPU. Conventionally, the thermal grease is spread onto the heat sink just prior to attachment of the heat sink to the CPU. This operation extends the time needed for said attachment.
To overcome the above problem, various grease covers have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,458 discloses a grease cover attached to a bottom face of a heat sink to enclose thermal grease spread on the bottom of the heat sink. The thermal grease cannot be contaminated by dust or foreign particles, and does not contaminate surrounding articles when the heat sink is transported or handled. By using the grease cover, the thermal grease can be applied to the heat sink in advance, thereby simplifing the process of attachment of the heat sink to the CPU. However, the grease cover is attached to the bottom face of the heat sink by adhesive. The adhesive must be cleaned from the heat sink before the heat sink is attached to the CPU. This is unduly inconvenient.